A 26-YEAR-OLD man made a dramatic escape when fire engulfed the downstairs floor of his Grimsby home.
Chris Hobbs was recovering in Grimsby's Diana Princess Of Wales Hospital yesterday, after a fire broke out in the living room of his Fairmont Road home.
A neighbour and her baby were also taken to hospital by ambulance but both are believed to be home now.
The fire was so fierce, Mr Hobbs was unable to get downstairs, and was forced to climb out of an upstairs window.
Firefighters were called to the terrace house at 4.15am.
The fire started in the living room which spread across the first floor, causing severe smoke and fire damage.
A charred fridge could be seen in his front garden. The staircase was damaged by heat and smoke and the front windows were blackened by the smoke.
Six firefighters broke into the house and battled the flames, using two hose reels, two positive pressure ventilation fans and two thermal image cameras.
Neighbours came out of their houses after hearing the emergency services' sirens and a man shouting outside the house.
One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said her husband ran out of the house to help.
She said: "I saw the smoke coming out of the window and someone shouting outside.
"Then a man climbed out of the window. He was choking and looked visibly shocked.
"It was scary to see."
Firefighters battled the blaze for a few hours and police were called.
The neighbour added: "The firefighters were there quite late and the police came round this morning asking questions."
At the time of going to press, the cause of the fire was still being established.
